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Northumberland Line
A freight train crossing North Seaton Viaduct (the Black Bridge) over the River Wansbeck between Bedlington and Ashington
Overview
StatusUnder construction
OwnerNetwork Rail
Locale
Termini
Stations
  • 2 (existing)
  • 6 (planned)
Websitehttps://www.northumberlandline.uk/
Service
TypeHeavy rail
SystemNational Rail
Operator(s)Northern Trains
History
Opened2024-2025 (planned)
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map

(Click to expand)

The Northumberland Line is a railway project under construction in North East England; it is aimed at reintroducing passenger rail services to freight-only lines in South East Northumberland. Under the scheme, a new passenger service will link some of Northumberland's major population centres in Ashington and Blyth to the nearby city of Newcastle upon Tyne.[1] Construction of new stations and works to upgrade the existing rail infrastructure to bring it up to passenger-carrying standards was reported as having begun by late August 2022.[2] The first anticipated launch date of the new passenger service was December 2023.[3] However, this was pushed back, first to the summer of 2024 and then in August it changed to December, when three of the new stations will be opened.[4][5][6] The rest of the stations will open in 2025.[7]

The new passenger service will run on lines which formerly constituted part of the Blyth and Tyne Railway system, a once-extensive railway network that historically covered much of South East Northumberland. Most of the lines being utilised as part of this project have been without passenger services since 1964, when they were withdrawn as part of the Beeching cuts.[8]

History

[edit]

Original line and closure

[edit]
Main article: Blyth and Tyne Railway

The Blyth and Tyne Railway (B&TR) was incorporated in 1853 to unify several small independent railways and waggonways that had been constructed in the region since the 18th century to enable efficient transport of coal from the South East Northumberland Coalfield to ports at Blyth and on the River Tyne. As coal production increased during the remainder of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the network of railway lines in this part of the region under the control of this company and its successors continued to expand, reaching what would become Ashington and Newbiggin by 1872. Though generally a secondary concern, passenger services had been operated on this network since the 1840s, but this traffic would greatly expand from the 1860s, when the company (and its successors) began to develop a network of commuter railways connecting the existing system to central Newcastle. Following the amalgamation of the B&TR into the North Eastern Railway in 1874, the succeeding company incorporated these more southerly commuter railways into the North Tyneside Loop which, in 1904, was electrified.

Faced with declining patronage during the first half of the 20th century, passenger services were withdrawn from the more northerly parts of the network (serving Blyth, Bedlington, Ashington and Newbiggin) on 30 July 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts,[8] but much of this part of the system was retained for mineral traffic serving local collieries. While the remainder of the surviving passenger network fared better, remaining passenger traffic was insufficient to justify the considerable expenditure required to renew the electrical systems and rolling stock on the electrified sections of the network and, consequentially, these routes were converted to diesel traction in 1967. However, in the 1970s, renewed interest in suburban rail led to the incorporation of the North Tyneside Loop into the electrified Tyne and Wear Metro. As part of this conversion, a parallel third freight line was added alongside the Loop's existing passenger lines between Benton Junction (where they meet the East Coast Main Line) and the site of Backworth station (just east of the site of the modern Northumberland Park Metro station) where the freight line towards Bedlington diverges.

Nonetheless, remaining freight traffic on the network gradually declined during the late 20th century as local collieries were closed. As of 2022, around five freight services a day were operating the branch, providing the biomass (former coal-fired) power station at Lynemouth, at the northern end of the line, with wood chips from the Port of Tyne.[8]

1990–2010: Proposed reopenings

[edit]

There have been proposals to reintroduce passenger services to part of the ex-B&TR system since the 1990s. Denis Murphy, the then Labour MP for Wansbeck, expressed support in the House of Commons in an adjournment debate in April 1999 and again in a debate in January 2007.[9] The Railway Development Society (renamed Railfuture in 2000) endorsed the proposal in 1998.[10]

The South East Northumberland Rail User Group began a campaign to reopen the remaining freight lines between Benton Junction, Morpeth, Bedlington and Ashington in March 2005.[11] In an effort to draw attention to their campaign, the group chartered a Northern Rail Class 156 DMU to run three return trips along the lines on 7 June 2008, with the first train carrying local politicians and other key stakeholders, and the other two carrying fare-paying public passengers.[12] In 2009, the Association of Train Operating Companies published a £34 million proposal to restore passenger services to the north-eastern part of the B&TR system. It would have included reopening stations at Seaton Delaval, Bedlington, Newsham (for Blyth) and Ashington.[13]

2013–2017: Initial plans and the Ashington, Blyth & Tyne Line project

[edit]

In the early 2010s Northumberland County Council became interested in the reintroduction of passenger services onto remaining freight-only sections of the network. In June 2013 NCC commissioned Network Rail to complete a GRIP 1 study to examine the best options for the scheme.[14] NCC received the GRIP 1 study in March 2014 and in June 2015 it commissioned a more detailed GRIP 2 feasibility study at a cost of £850,000.[15]

The GRIP 2 study, which NCC received in October 2016,[16] confirmed that the reintroduction of a frequent seven-day a week passenger service between Newcastle and Ashington was feasible and could provide economic benefits of £70 million with more than 380,000 people using the line each year by 2034.[17] The 2016 GRIP 2 study envisaged a project (at the time referred to as the Ashington, Blyth & Tyne Line), at an estimated cost of £191 million,[17] involving construction of new or reopened stations at Northumberland Park (for interchange with the Tyne and Wear Metro), either Seghill or Seaton Delaval, Newsham, Blyth Park & Ride, Bedlington, Ashington and Woodhorn (for the Woodhorn Colliery Museum and Northumberland Archives) with a potential end-to-end journey time of 37 minutes.[18]

After receiving the GRIP 2 study, NCC initially announced that it was proceeding with a GRIP 3 Study from Network Rail, but such a report was not commissioned at that time.[19] Despite a change in the political leadership of Northumberland County Council following the 2017 local elections,[20] the authority continued to work towards the reintroduction of a passenger service onto the line,[21] encouraged by the Department for Transport's (DfT) November 2017 report, A Strategic Vision for Rail, which named the line as a possible candidate for a future reintroduction of passenger services.[22][23] Eventually, NCC commissioned a further interim study in November 2017 (dubbed GRIP 2B) to determine whether high costs and long timescales identified in the GRIP 2 Study could be reduced by reducing the initial scope of the project, but the report failed to identify any feasible such cost or time savings.[19]

2019–present: Revised plans and the Northumberland Line project

[edit]
Northumberland Line
Legend
Ashington Coal Company lines
to Ashington via Ellington Colliery
Lynemouth Power Station
Alcan Lynemouth
Aluminium Smelter
 Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
(1872–1964)
Ashington Coal Company lines
to Ashington Colliery Jct. and Lynemouth PS
 Ashington
(
c. 1878–1964
reopening planned
)
 North Seaton
(1859–1964)
North Seaton Viaduct
over River Wansbeck
Blyth and Tyne Railway main line (freight)
to Morpeth via Choppington
 Bedlington
(
1850–1964
reopening planned
)
Blyth Cambois TMD (1968-1994)
Bedlington Viaduct
over River Blyth
Blyth Import Terminal
 Bebside
(1850–1964)
 Blyth Bebside
(new station planned)
Blyth Quayside
 Blyth
(original)
(1847–1867)
 Blyth
(second)
(1867–1964)
Newsham
(original)
(c. 1851–1964)
Newsham
(planned)
(new station planned)
Hartley
(1851–1964)
Avenue branch line
to Monkseaton via The Avenue
 Hartley Pit
(1847–1851)
 Seaton Delaval
(
1841–1964
reopening planned
)
 Seghill
(1841–1964)
 Backworth
(original)
(1847–1864)
Tyne and Wear Metro
Right arrow North Tyneside Loop via Tynemouth
Blyth and Tyne Railway main line
to Percy Main via Prospect Hill
 Backworth
(second)
(1864–1977)
 Northumberland Park
Tyne and Wear Metro
(
National Rail
station planned
)
 Benton Square
(1909–1915)
 Palmersville
Tyne and Wear Metro
Foresthall
(1864–1871)
East Coast Main Line
to Morpeth via Cramlington
Benton Junction
 Benton
Tyne and Wear Metro
Tyne and Wear Metro
Down arrow North Tyneside Loop via South Gosforth
Heaton TMD
Tyne and Wear Metro
Right arrow North Tyneside Loop via Tynemouth
Chillingham Road
Tyne and Wear Metro
 Heaton
(c. 1851–1980)
 Byker
Tyne and Wear Metro
Riverside Branch
to Percy Main via Walker
Tyne and Wear Metro
Up arrow North Tyneside Loop via South Gosforth
 West Jesmond
Tyne and Wear Metro
Ouseburn Viaduct & Byker Viaduct
over Ouseburn
Quayside Branch
to Newcastle Quayside Yard
 Manors
Tyne and Wear Metro
 Manors
Monument
Tyne and Wear Metro
 St James
Tyne and Wear Metro
Durham Coast Line
to Sunderland
 Newcastle
Tyne and Wear Metro
Tyne & Wear Metro
to South Shields & South Hylton
East Coast Main Line
to Darlington
&
Tyne Valley line
to Carlisle

The county council has, however, continued to develop the project and hired AECOM and SLC Rail as contractors to develop the scheme on their behalf in 2018.[24] On 8 February 2019, the council chartered a train from Northern that carried the then Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling and other dignitaries over part of the route (now rechristened the Northumberland Line) between Morpeth and Newsham,[25] after which NCC announced an additional £3.46 million in funding for a further business case and detailed design study[26] (equivalent to GRIP 3)[27] to be completed by the end of 2019.[26][28]

Revised proposals, released in July 2019, were reduced in scope from the plan considered in the 2016 GRIP 2 study and proposed a four-phase project[29] to reduce the initial cost; the first phase, at an estimated £90 million,[26] was to introduce an hourly passenger service[24] to serve new or reopened stations at Northumberland Park, Newsham, Bedlington and Ashington and would have included some line-speed upgrades, extension of the double track section further to the south of Newsham, creation of turn-back facilities at Ashington and some level crossing upgrades or closures.[29] Two further stations, at Seaton Delaval and Blyth Bebside (formerly dubbed Blyth Park & Ride), and additional line-speed improvements were suggested for Phase 2, while Phase 3 would have delivered further line-speed and signalling improvements and Phase 4 would have created an additional passing-loop at Seaton Delaval[29] so as to enable the provision of a half-hourly service.[24] Previously proposed stations at Woodhorn[30] and Seghill had been dropped from the scheme by this time.[31] In August 2020, it was reported that consideration was being given to merging the four proposed phases announced in 2019 into one[32] and, as of June 2022, this combined option appeared to have been adopted.[3]

The then Minister for Railways, Chris Heaton-Harris, announced an initial UK Government grant of £1.5 million towards the project costs during a visit to the site of Bedlington station in January 2020[33] which was supplemented by an allocation of £10 million of funds from Northumberland County Council the following month.[24] This funding enabled AECOM to begin detailed on-site ground investigation works in October 2020.[34] The allocation of a further £34 million of UK Government funding for the project in January 2021 enabled the necessary land to be purchased, detailed designs to be prepared and some early preparatory and site works to begin.[35] In January 2021, it was anticipated that the UK Government would fund the remainder of the project cost, estimated at £166 million as of January 2021, once the final phase of design works were completed,[36] but, as of June 2022, the release of the bulk of this funding was yet to be announced.[37]

During 2021, planning applications were submitted for the proposed stations: for Northumberland Park[38] and Ashington in February;[39] for Blyth Bebside[40] and Bedlington in March;[41] for Seaton Delaval in June;[42] and for Newsham in September.[43] All of these applications had been approved by 3 March 2022.[43][44] A further planning application was submitted for the replacement of a pedestrian crossing in Ashington with an underpass, on 24 September 2021,[45] but strong local opposition meant that, as of June 2022, it was unclear whether this would ultimately be built as part of the project.[46] Northumberland County Council also submitted a complementary Transport and Works Act Order application to the UK Department for Transport on 26 May 2021,[47][48] under which they would be conferred certain additional powers (including those relating to compulsory purchasing of land, temporary use of land, closure of level crossings and diversion of highways) deemed necessary for the new stations to be constructed and the line upgraded to carry regular passenger services.[49] The order was granted, subject to some modifications, on 27 June 2022.[50][51]

The first preliminary infrastructure works implemented as part of this project – renewal of 600 yards (550 m) of track near Newsham – were completed in June 2021.[52] In August 2021, Morgan Sindall was awarded a £40 million contract to undertake detailed design and construction works[53] for the new stations and footbridges, as well as the major track upgrade works associated with the project.[54] Following the aforementioned granting of the Transport and Works Act Order and most of the required planning permissions, main-stage construction work was reported as having begun by late August 2022,[2] ahead of the anticipated launch of the new passenger service in December 2023.[3]

In the winter of 2023/2024, it was reported that despite services planning to begin in summer 2024, only Ashington, Newsham and Seaton Delaval would open at the start of services. It was likely that Bedlington, Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park will not open until 2025.[55][56] As of August 2024, the initial services and stations were delayed again to December 2024, with the whole project's final cost being £298.5 million, £130 million more than the initial bid.[5][6]

Ashington station has been developed in such a way that an extension, such as that previously proposed to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and Woodhorn could still be built, albeit part of a separate scheme.[57]

Stations and services

[edit]

The planned new passenger service will begin at Newcastle, before heading north along the East Coast Main Line to Benton Junction,[8] with an intermediate stop at the existing Manors station.[3][58] At Benton Junction, Northumberland Line trains will join the existing freight line, which parallels the Yellow Line of the Tyne and Wear Metro, past Palmersville Metro station, before calling at a new National Rail platform adjacent to the existing Northumberland Park Metro station. Just east of Northumberland Park station, the new passenger service will leave the current Metro line corridor, following the freight line as it curves away to the north towards Northumberland. Passing along this freight line, it will proceed to serve the following new or reopened stations, from south to north:

Once in operation, it is anticipated that the new passenger service will run every 30 minutes between 6:00 am and 7:30 pm Monday to Saturday, with hourly services provided in the evenings and all-day on Sundays.[3] It is predicted that the new passenger service will have an end-to-end journey time of 36 minutes.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Sherratt, Philip (25 January 2018). "NEW LINK FOR Northumberland". Modern Railways. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Sharnford Close Work". Northumberland Line. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Holland, Daniel (29 June 2022). "Six new railway stations and half-hourly trains: What you need to know about the Northumberland Line - Chronicle Live". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  4. ^ markellis32 (17 January 2024). "Passenger Services Confirmed for Summer 2024". Northumberland Line. Retrieved 18 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b Hall, Daniel (2 August 2024). "Final cost of Northumberland Line £130m more than estimated with services pushed back to December". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b Smith, Ian (2 August 2024). "Rail services on new Northumberland Line now set to start in December as near-£300m anticipated cost revealed". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Return of railway line could be extended to more towns". BBC. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d "Ashington Targets 2023 Opening". Modern Railways. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  9. ^ Denis Murphy; et al. (10 January 2007). "Ashington, Blyth and Tyne Railway". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 135WH–139WH.
  10. ^ Bevan, Alan (1998). A-Z of rail reopenings : a catalogue of stations and lines opened and proposed throughout Britain's rail network, with commentaries on seeking re-openings and new railways around Europe. Railway Development Society. p. 59. ISBN 0-901283-13-4. OCLC 39216560.
  11. ^ Graham, Hannah (24 January 2021). "'They said it was impossible': Campaigners celebrate success in 15-year Northumberland railway fight - Chronicle Live". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  12. ^ "SENRUG The Northumberland Line (Ashington Blyth & Tyne) Charter Train – 2008". SENRUG - The South East Northumberland Rail User Group. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Connecting Communities – Expanding Access to the Rail Network" (PDF). London: Association of Train Operating Companies. June 2009. p. 17. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Ashington Blyth and Tyne rail line restoration scheme gets green light". The Journal. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  15. ^ "Plans for rail line reach milestone". News Post Leader. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  16. ^ Ashington, Blyth & Tyne Line (PDF). Northumberland County Council. 2016.
  17. ^ a b "Reopening of Newcastle to Ashington rail link moves one step closer". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  18. ^ "Ashington Blyth & Tyne GRIP 2 Study" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  19. ^ a b "SENRUG - South East Northumberland Rail User Group: Re-open Ashington Blyth & Tyne Line". SENRUG - South East Northumberland Rail User Group. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  20. ^ Kelly, Mike; Muncaster, Michael (5 May 2017). "Northumberland local elections results IN FULL – council held by Tories in 'straw draw' drama". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  21. ^ Graham, Hannah (1 June 2018). "Northumberland's draft local plan unveiled: What it means for houses, jobs and the green belt". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  22. ^ Connecting people: a strategic vision for rail (PDF). Department for Transport. November 2017. ISBN 9781528601252. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  23. ^ Allen, Andrew (12 December 2017). "What's in the government's new rail strategy?". CityMetric. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  24. ^ a b c d "£162m Northumberland Line scheme moves to design phase". The Construction Index. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  25. ^ Sharma, Sonia (8 February 2019). "Transport Secretary Chris Grayling backs plans for Ashington to Newcastle passenger trains". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  26. ^ a b c O'Connell, Ben (28 February 2019). "Phasing of proposed Northumberland rail line explained after concerns raised". News Post Leader. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  27. ^ "SENRUG - South East Northumberland Rail User Group: Re-open Ashington Blyth & Tyne Line". Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  28. ^ "Northumberland Line could reopen for passengers in 2022". Rail Engineer. 28 March 2019. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  29. ^ a b c O'Connell, Ben (15 July 2019). "Six new stations could open if Ashington to Newcastle passenger trains resume". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  30. ^ O'Connell, Ben (2 October 2019). "Petition launched over stations 'dropped' from proposed Northumberland to Newcastle line | Northumberland Gazette". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  31. ^ "Re-open Ashington Blyth & Tyne Line - SENRUG - The South East Northumberland Rail User Group". SENRUG - The South East Northumberland Rail User Group. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  32. ^ "Northumberland line could reopen in one phase | News Post Leader". News Post Leader. 15 August 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  33. ^ Sharma, Sonia (28 January 2020). "How plans to re-open Newcastle to Ashington railway line could boost region". North East Chronicle. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  34. ^ Kennedy, Catherine (26 October 2020). "Ground investigation underway to convert Northumberland Line for passenger services - New Civil Engineer". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  35. ^ Burroughs, David (23 January 2021). "£794m package to reopen British lines unveiled | International Railway Journal". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  36. ^ O'Connell, Ben (23 January 2021). "Government confirms £34million for Northumberland Line - Rail Minister says he's 'lucky to be reopening train lines' | Northumberland Gazette". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  37. ^ "Re-open Ashington Blyth & Tyne Line". SENRUG - The South East Northumberland Rail User Group. June 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  38. ^ "21/00299/FUL | Construction of a new single platform railway station including: retaining wall, pedestrian lift, staircase and access from Algernon Drive modifications to existing bridge parapet. Construction of facilities ancillary to the station including, lighting, soft and hard landscaping, surface and subsurface drainage, utilities and other services, boundary treatment and other associated works | Northumberland Park Metro Station Station Road Backworth NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE". North Tyneside Council. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  39. ^ "21/00387/CCD | Construction of a new single platform railway station including pedestrian lift, new highway access; modifications to existing highways including pedestrian footways; provision of parking for cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, cycles, and taxis and other associated works including new crossings for pedestrians and cyclists. Construction of facilities ancillary to the station including, lighting, soft and hard landscaping, surface and subsurface drainage, utilities and other services, boundary treatment and other associated works. | Station Yard Car Park North Wansbeck Square Station Road Ashington Northumberland NE63 9XH". Northumberland County Council. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  40. ^ "21/00878/CCD | Construction of a two platform railway station including: pedestrian lifts, stepped and ramped pedestrian access, upgrade of existing junction to provide signalised access to station; modifications to highways including pedestrian footways; provision of parking for buses, cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, cycles, and taxis; works to public rights of way ; construction of a pedestrian and cycle bridge, facilities ancillary to the station including, lighting, soft and hard landscaping, surface and subsurface drainage, utilities and other services, boundary treatment and other associated works. | Land South Of Heather Lea Errington Street Bebside Northumberland". Northumberland County Council. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  41. ^ "21/01106/CCD | Construction of a two-platform railway station including: ramped pedestrian access, new highway access; modifications to existing highways including pedestrian footways; provision of parking for cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, cycles, and taxis and other associated works. Construction of facilities ancillary to the station including, lighting, soft and hard landscaping, surface and subsurface drainage, utilities and other services, boundary treatment and other associated works | Bedlington Railway Station Station Street Bedlington Northumberland NE22 5UZ". Northumberland County Council. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  42. ^ "21/02253/CCD | Construction of a new single platform railway station including new highway access and signalised junction; modifications to existing highways including pedestrian footways; provision of parking for cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, cycles, and taxis; works to public rights of way. Construction of: facilities ancillary to the station including, lighting, soft and hard landscaping, surface and subsurface drainage, utilities and other services, boundary treatment and other associated works | Land South East Of Delaval Court Astley Road Seaton Delaval Northumberland". Northumberland County Council. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  43. ^ a b "21/03720/CCD | Construction of a two-platform railway station including: pedestrian lifts, stepped pedestrian access, new highway accesses; construction of overbridge to carry diverted A1061 with shared footway and cycleway. Modifications to existing highways including new roundabouts and realignment of local roads and construction of new access roads from the highway; provision of parking for buses, cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, cycles, and taxis; works to of public rights of way. Construction of facilities ancillary to the station including, lighting, soft and hard landscaping, surface and subsurface drainage, utilities and other services, boundary treatment and other associated works | Land South Of A1061 South Newsham Road Blyth Northumberland". Northumberland County Council. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  44. ^ Horgan, Rob (4 March 2022). "Final station gets go-ahead on restoration of abandoned Northumberland line | New Civil Engineer". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  45. ^ "21/03780/CCD | Construction of a new covered pedestrian underpass to replace existing level crossing, including works to public rights of way. Construction of soft and hard landscaping, surface and subsurface drainage, utilities and other services, boundary treatment and other associated works | Land South Of 1 Roseneath Court Roseneath Court Ashington Northumberland". Northumberland County Council. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  46. ^ Holland, Daniel (28 June 2022). "'Fantastic' Northumberland Line rail plans on track for 2023 opening after key government approval - Chronicle Live". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  47. ^ Smith, Ian (28 May 2021). "New application seeks authorisation for return of passenger rail services on the Northumberland Line | New Post Leader". New Post Leader. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  48. ^ "Northumberland County Council - Northumberland Line". Northumberland County Council. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  49. ^ O'Connor, Duncan (26 May 2021). "Northumberland Line TWAO Application Letter" (PDF). Northumberland County Council. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  50. ^ Kopala, Natasha (27 June 2022). "Transport and Works Act 1992: Application for Proposed Northumberland Line Order" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  51. ^ "Northumberland Line on track as approval granted - BBC News". BBC News. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  52. ^ Roberts, Matt (29 June 2021). "Network Rail completes key step to reopen Northumberland line | Rail Technology Magazine". Rail Technology Magazine. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  53. ^ "Morgan Sindall secures Northumberland rail line contract". PBC Today. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  54. ^ Horgan, Rob (9 August 2021). "Morgan Sindall to build six new stations for Northumberland line restoration | New Civil Engineer". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  55. ^ "Northumberland line's re-opening faces delay". BBC News. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  56. ^ "Northumberland Line station delays expected until 2025". Hexham Courant. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  57. ^ "Northumberland Line Station Guides". Northumberland County Council. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  58. ^ Holland, Daniel (28 June 2022). "Everything you need to know about the Northumberland Line and how it will change rail travel in the North East". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
[edit]
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